A new HTC flagship phone is coming. You probably already knew that. But the first possible (and frankly, quite probable) look at the device came today from the folks at NowhereElse.fr, a French leak site. Two photos show the front and back of the device, which follows the general design of the One family with a couple of important differences. The photos at the original website were taken down at the request of the anonymous source... which is usually a pretty good indication that they're on to something.

The source refers to the phone as the "HTC One M9," and though we obviously can't confirm it ourselves, it seems like a pretty reasonable jump for the Taiwanese manufacturer. The front of the phone is basically the same as the M8 with some spacing changes for the stereo speaker grilles and thinner bezels to the screen (though the HTC logo is still annoyingly present below). There is no context for screen size, but a modest bump, no larger than 5.5", would be my guess. The body is HTC's standard all-metal design with a gold finish.

Around back things get more interesting (you, in the jacket, stop that giggling). HTC seems to have given up on its Duo camera design, to the delight of many - see the Desire EYE for the company's shift back to conventional cameras. There's only one camera in a large, rounded square module, plus a dual LED flash. Look at the bottom edge of the device and you can see that it's quite thin, though the curved back may distort the perspective somewhat. The MicroUSB port is offset to the right and the headphone jack is bottom-mounted, just like the One M8.

No specifications or software details were included in the leak, and always remember that nothing is final until the mobile executive sings. That said, it wouldn't surprise us at all if this device or something very much like it were announced at HTC's Mobile World Congress presentation on March 1st.

Comments

Looks good, but if that screen is 5.5 inches, that phone's going to be WAY too tall (due entirely to the HTC bar they felt they must include). I'm hoping for around 5.2 inches.

ed

No, it's entirely due to the overly large speakers. Other companies have shown that front facing speakers don't need to be huge. HTC can't seem to figure that out.

Bryan Pizzuti

In fairness, HTC's speakers tend to have better fullness and volume than most others (like Sony's but then again, Sony's are waterproof).

ed

I would take smaller speakers if it meant a more manageable phones. Normal speakers are plenty good enough for the job. Most people use headphones anyway, all of which are better than the HTC speakers.

Bryan Pizzuti

I tend not to, particularly when I'm gaming (a PhoneJoy blocks the headphone jack on most devices). So good front-facing speakers are something I'd really like to have...doesn't even really need to be stereo, separation is minimal at that size, but a good, rich, full sound quality would be nice.

Adam Jones

The M8 is already way too tall. I'm not buying anything bigger than the M7. Maybe one day HTC will come to their senses and release a proper flagship - not a gimped mini version - in a <=4.7" size again.

MehediH

Was hoping for something like this...

Anon

That looks like a samsung

Jose Romero

It looks better than anything I've seen Samsung produce.

Yo Pelao

Still looks like a Samsung phone to me due to, you know, the small bezels (HTC doesn't know that term to be honest).

Jokester

It's looks like yo mama.

Eisenhorn1976

Well, at least it isn't Yo-Yo Ma.

Robabobbob

If it had a pointless physical home button and only one speaker then I'd agree

Jose Romero

That is the phone design of my dreams. That is the type of phone I would produce if I had a smartphone company.

someone755

Hey you and I could work together. Any ideas how to make a smartphone company and where to start?

DonPorazzo

Look at oneplus and start from there.

someone755

I don't really know where to find that kind of info.
And isn't 1+ basically just a small part of Oppo?

Jn_thW

The problem with no logo is that average consumers can't tell that it's from HTC. A solution would be to cover the middle of the bottom speaker grill holes to place the logo there.

Jose Romero

"The problem with no logo is that average consumers can't tell that it's from HTC."
But if you have a striking phone design, people are going to ask you what phone is it.

Brad

Jose doesn't get it

Jose Romero

I completely get it. I know that with a logo, people are going to know which company makes the phone, obviously, but you don't need the front logo for recognition.

Jn_thW

I don't know how you define striking but I do know non tech enthusiasts won't bother to ask about your phone unless they notice you using a Sharp Aquos Crystal with the display on.

Jose Romero

I've experienced otherwise.

Kylecore

Happens with my LG G3 all the time because my thumb always covers the logo at the bottom. People are just like "wow that's pretty and the screen is so huge and clear". Yes people, keep making me feel good about my purchase :)

Eisenhorn1976

True -- for a company that's been losing market share like HTC has been, brand recognition is more important than what a few design-conscious bloggers or forum commentators have to say -- and that's probably why they needlessly made the M8 taller (though they do add some functionality to it: the M8's magnet for its special flip case was behind the bezel logo).

Still, it's not aesthetically pleasing as it makes the device look too elongated. I have both the M8 and M7 -- I'm never selling the M7 because it's a Collector's Item to me in terms of phone design -- but the M8 is something I'm definitely giving away once I get an M9 (or whatever the heck it'll be called).

The M7 had the best size going for it to my mind -- I didn't even mind the capacitive buttons it had because it meant not having virtual nav buttons -- I mean, I realise that it's preferable to have a 5" screen but what's the point of a 5" screen when 0.3" of it's taken up by virtual buttons? For most purposes (i.e. non-full screen use) a device with a 5" screen that has navigation buttons may as well be a device with a 4.7" screen and capacitive button. The M8 had the problem of having both a logo and those virtual buttons -- giving it the appearance of a "chin" (then again, HTC did give us the HTC Legend so prominent chins are a family trait).

I don't mind tall devices if the reason it's tall is more usable screen, not more bezel. A rear logo's enough: just ask Apple (though I will say their iconic home button -- even the TouchID one -- is probably as much of a logo for their products as anything).

Yo Pelao

A friend of mine got an M8 for his birthday and I was comparing it to my Nexus 5 when I said (more to me than to anybody) "can you believe these phones both have the same screen size?" And he snapped and took them from my hands while saying "no way that cannot be! why is yours so small?" I think the real problem are those black bezels between the actual screen and the metal part with the speakers. I'm still wondering what they're for...

Yo Pelao

I have a one-word solution to your logo problem: Nexus. Never have I seen a nexus device have a logo in the front, yet everyone knows what a Nexus is, despite it's extremely simple design (I mean, from some angles you can't even see the screen). So trust me, no logo doesn't have to mean no average customer recognition. In any case, I think HTC's logo could be just those HUGE bezels their phones have...

tinky

Pfft, show me them 5 people outside of geek world that know what NEXUS is.... Had N4 and N5, no one had a clue what they were. NO ONE!!

Yo Pelao

Well I dont know where you live, but where I do, non-geeks have come and ask me "is that a Nexus?" Obviously because they've seen it before and RECOGNIZE the design. You need to see something for a first time to know what it is after, you know.

Jn_thW

"Everyone knows what a Nexus is [despite having a logo-less front]"

Are you sure? There's a reason why the Galaxy line is so popular despite how horrible it is, ignorance.

Yo Pelao

Do you know about quantum physics? Or about the Space Curvature Theory? Then you're an ignorant. It's not ignorance, son; it's about having the Galaxy line more advertised and presented to the customers. Same as iPhone (which has no logo in the front, BTW ;) ). Oh, and also, Nexus 5 owner here, previous Note 3 owner. Love the Nexus line and still switching to the horrible Note 4 because it gives me 5x the functionality ANY Nexus does.

William Ross

So not true that everyone knows what a nexus is. How would they know unless you told them?

Yo Pelao

You know at the beginning I thought Android was Samsung's TouchWiz? Then somebody told me about stock Android and guess what? Now I know about all that. People aren't born knowing what a Nexus is. They see/are told what it is, and THEN they learn to recognize one. I've asked them (non-geeks) how they know it's a Nexus, and they answer "because it has almost nothing on the front". That's recognition of a design.

Yo Pelao

Still I think that's a good idea actually... Making the speakers be two grills and the logo in the middle (bottom) and the same but with the camera at the top.

Disappointed about Qi, but as for the type-C connector, while I'm looking forward to it, I'm NOT looking forward to having to replace all my cables again like I did after we moved from mini-USB. Plus my tablet, my girlfriend's phone, my Bluetooth headset, and my watch charger, among things I don't remember, are all the older connector. I'd rather wait to see a more mass shift to type-C before I start seeing it as more of an advantage than an annoyance. I think it'll make more sense when it's backed by USB 3.1 speed and charging abilities.

Gideon Waxfarb

As someone who owns an iDevice with a lightning connector, I say reversible USB can't come soon enough. I'll gladly replace all my cables. I wouldn't even mind paying $10 for each one if it means i don't constantly have to screw with plugging in USB cables the wrong way anymore :P

Don't get me wrong: I'm VERY excited about them. But I know that when I get ONE device that has the port, it's going to be far more trouble for me than it is a benefit. It's not until it becomes ubiquitous that I'll start seeing the advantages. I'll have to start carrying two cables with me, or an adapter, for my portable battery packs. I'll have to carry an adapter or cable with me if I want to plug in anywhere else, where currently I never have to worry because EVERYONE has a micro-USB cable and charger around somewhere. For easily a few years it will complicate charging for me more than it helps. And then, when finally my tablet, headset, watch charger, external hard drives, random USB-charging devices, and those belonging to my friends and family all have moved over, it will be fantastic.

Gideon Waxfarb

They have cables with micro USB and lightning ports on the same cord. I can't see why they couldn't do it for reversible USB and micro USB as well.

It would be ok if they use the black bar for capacitive buttons. The design looks like an afterthought though. Like they think people want onscreen buttons but they couldn't design the phone to look like it so they just took away the cap buttons.

Tay

The reason for the htc logo can be seen if you watch taken 3. Although you should not watch taken 3 because it's a terrible movie.

But product placement becomes 1 million times easier with a front facing logo.

To HTC: As long as you continue to insist on the HTC bar on the front of the phone, I will NOT even consider purchasing your phone. I know you claim it's 'integral' to the hardware of the phone, I don't believe that's true, but I don't care. It's a waste of space and various other manufacturers have figured out how to NOT have such wasted space on their phones. Aside from that, I think the phones are gorgeous.

Wall Breaker

The bar houses drivers for speakers. Its actually quite the engineering accomplishment.

Its easy to say "I would do this or that" when designing a smartphone but what you, I and others don't take into account is these designers have to figure out how to fit all the compoments into a compact body. And I'm sure there is a lot that goes just into the layout of the internals.

Derek

I know what it houses and I couldn't care less. IMO, it either makes the phone taller or wastes space that could be used for a bigger screen, both major issues. Motorola found a way to house stereo front speakers in the Nexus 6 with minimal top and bottom bezels. HTC could have done the same, if they wanted to. I think it's pretty obvious they WANT the branding, which is fine. Just don't expect me, or others with the same issue, to bother considering the phone for purchase.

Pedro Martins

Motorola was able to do it because we don't live on fucking flatland. All of their phones are fat whales. Same with LG and others.

Your comments remind me of people that keep bragging how the iPhone 6+ is bigger than a note 4. Clearly they do not have any sort of education regarding mathematics, otherwise they would know how to calculate volume and such.

I prefer Moto devices (despite how thick the nexus 6 and moto X can be), but they made some tradeoffs compared with HTC ("smallish" battery for an Android phone with that size, thick).

Yes, they make trade-offs and I would prefer they change those trade-offs. EVERY manufacturer makes trade-offs. HTC's is currently to have a huge black bar for branding. They could remove it, but they would, in their words, "destroy the aspect ratio". Sounds like a BS explanation to me and I choose not to accept it. Also, the fact they even addressed the 'controversy' in the first place means many people are of the same opinion.

At the end of the day, it's my choice on whether or not to give HTC my business and I choose not to because it's my opinion that black bar is ugly as hell.

justafew

The LG G3 is only .16" wider than the M8, exactly the same height and actually thinner than the M8 by .2" - all with a screen that is .4" inches larger than the M8. So not sure why you think LG's phones are fat whales.

Dr. Sam X

LG G3 ist actually a very nice phone with a perfect display to body ratio!
If only LG would come to their senses and have normal buttos like everyone else (+ maybe dual frontfacing speakers and metal body)!

mistercow4u

People says the Note 4 is "smaller" because surface area of the screen face is smaller than the 6+, which is a better perception of size than volume since the thickness of both devices is so small. But I'm sure someone with your esteemed background in mathematics knows that.

Adam Jones

Well then they should put the buttons on it, like they already did on the M7 (except a home button in the middle instead of the stupid HTC logo). They make the screens so big you can't ever use the phone in one hand, then waste the extra space by pointlessly putting buttons on it.

liperus

I can't for the life of me like HTC phone designs. That huge useless black bezel around the frame is ugly in my opinion... :/

Is HTC becoming the new Samsung? The same old design. I hope HTC has something better than this for us.

fcjan

this is only a prototype device, I am 99% sure that HTC won't just rerelease M8 with spec bump, they never did that and they sure as hell won't do that now, when they are on a brink of bankruptcy.. it seems they are just using old M8 body to house new components so there won't be any leaks like with M7 and M8.. but we will see

neo905

You Sir are correct. Not sure why this is all over every tech site like it is gospel. I was told this a test device for carriers in the M8 shell to protect the new design unveil.

JeanClaude

Hum, I was excited, and now I'm not as much.

fcjan

don't worry, fake

Dani R.

If it's the same photo... Why is the shadow different? And how do you explain the "smoother" edges? And the rectangular camera?

It's possible this is a prototype box, yes, but as prototype boxes go, this is extremely... finished looking. We'll have to see what further leaks yield.

neo905

Are you playing devils advocate or do you honestly believe this is the Hima? This source is that credible to you?

sosarozay300

that photo proves nothing, it is not the same phone in the 2 pictures and you are blind if you believe so

sid

hahaha don't worry "Fake" LOLOL

Kwetsima Maluleke

That buttom screen bezel isn't necessary. Remove the "HTC" and remove all that black and maybe the phone won't look like a remote

Justin W

Just because it's not appealing, doesn't mean it's not necessary. There are drivers for the display and other parts of the logic board below that bar.

Brad

the drivers are physical on this phone? That's cutting edge!

Justin W

Driver = the wires that connect the logic board to the display.

Brad

"A driver is software that allows your computer to communicate with hardware or devices. Without drivers, the hardware you connect to your computer—for example, a video card or a printer—won't work properly."

Justin W

Yay, you can copy a definition! If you'd read up on why there's a black bar, you'd see several other sources call it a display driver, which obviously isn't just software. The same applies in the television industry - there is a driver in all TVs that places the content onto the display (via hardware interface) from the logic board in the device.

The Note 4 also doesn't have speakers on the front. Look, I can't defend every decision HTC makes vs. other manufacturers, I can just tell you how it's laid out in the device - the decision to leave the black bar and not place the driver elsewhere is stupid in my opinion because it leaves us with the useless extra bezel.

To be fair, we still don't know if the HTC logo is the home button and the other 2 only show when lit up, there's still hope for hidden capacitive ones, right?!

Adam Jones

God I hope so. I don't know how they went from such good design on the M7 to such idiocy with the M8.

andy

GPE or GTFO.

Lover for Android

OMG the front htc logo is going to destroy the company

Guest

In a way, that's true.

Pawn Stupids

I'll offer you tree fiddy.

Evan Gilner

My GOD that rectangular camera looks absolutely hideous!

nikolas

Dear HTC. I want to love you but i will not until you remove your logo and make the bezel smaller.

GazaIan

I recall seeing a comment somewhere else where, while this is an M9, its in am M8-like shell to keep the final product from leaking.

supremekizzle

I wonder if they gave a prototype to that retarded kids parents. Hopefully. Them we can get a full hands on.

sosarozay300

lol htc is going to go out of business because they refuse to remove their logo from the front with a huge bezel just for it

Kaleb Peters

That's what'll put them out of business? I'm sure that the average person couldn't care less about logos. It didn't stop Samsung.

sosarozay300

samsung doesn't have a whole bar dedicated to their logo on their devices like htc

Adam Jones

Who cares? It's going to be too gigantic to use. And they won't release a proper small version like Apple and Sony do (even they only have 720p...). Make another phone the size of the M7! And take the god damn buttons off the screen and put them on the bezel instead of that stupid logo. Even Apple doesn't need a logo on the FRONT of their phones.

Dn Bro

For whatever reason, I really like the HTC Black bar logo. I think it makes the phone pop a little more. I might be in the minority, but that helped me decide to the get the m8. It stood out as being slightly different than what you typically see in the smartphone market.

Each of us though can make our own decisions I suppose. If that is the look of the m9, I know later this year will be tough between the m9 or whatever the new Nexus is.

Dyan_Branielson

Honestly, I preferred the design language of the original One M7: Less shiny, a bit more rectangular, less rounded corners, a more subtle curve on the back, and it felt way better and less slippery in hand than the M8 and obviously, probably the M9.

J_Pod

I had a thought, what if this whole large squarish camera is HTC going to use that Pelican Imaging Camera that I heard about a while ago? That way they'd keep the whole depth reprocessing as well as the square camera hole on the back.